Glass-furnace.



H. BROOKE.

GLASS FURNACE.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 19, 1898,

925,864. Patented June 22, 1909.

2 spams-sum 1.

H. BROOKE.

GLASS FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 189B.

Patented June 22, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7m ATTORNEY R 0 T N E V N UNITED S'ITES ATENT OFFICE.

HOMER BROOKE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

GLASS-FURNACE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER BROOKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Imrovement in Glass Furnaces, of which theollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to furnaces, and the articular object ofthe invention is to provi e a glass furnace having a number ofoscillating crucibles or melting pots.

Heretofore, constructions for melting glass have existed, consisting ofa main furnace in which are placed a number of comparatively smallcrucibles containing batches to be melted. In operating a furnace ofthis character the crucibles or pots are removed from the interior ofthe furnace and the contents poured therefrom into molds or othersuitable receptacles in which the molten material is given formation; orthe pots or crucibles are left in the main furnace and the contentstaken therefrom by 'athering. In my construction the molten gIass isflowed from the pots or crucibles by tilting or oscillating the samewhile they are in the main furnace.

In the drawings I have illustrated a construct-ion embodying myinvention, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a lan view, partly broken away and partly in section. Fig. 2is a detail view showing a ortion of the furnace in vertical sectionwitfi a crucible in position. Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of aportion of the furnace. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the furnaceopening closed. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of one of thecrucibies; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the neck of a crucible showinthe same entirely closed.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring to these drawings in detail 1 des- ,ignates the furnace orheating chamber which is of the usual Cll'CI la! form and provided witha crown or do e 2. The floor of the furnace, designated by the numeral 3is pro vided with a series ofblocks 4 which are de signed to support thecrucibles 5. These crucibles arqprovided with journal lu s 6 projectingon each side. These journal ugs are provided with two bearing surfaces,one

w ich 7 is designed to rest upon the blocks 4 to support the crucible inits normal 11 right position while the other 8 supports t eSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 19, 1898. Serial No. 681,174.

Patented June 22, 1909.

crucible in its lowermost position, the two surfaces 7 and 8 meeting inan oscillating point 9 upon which the crucible is rocked or tilted todischarge its contents.

Each of the crucibles is provided with a pouring mouth or neck 10 towhich is preferably secured some means of tilting or oscillating thecrucible on the blocks 4. The

means hero illustrated consist of a rod 11 which is secured to the neckof the crucible by a collar 12, said rod 1 1 having at its other end asplit ring 13 which surrounds an arc-sha ed roc 14 secured to acircumferential ban 15 supported on standards 16 extending from thewalls of the furnace. The split ring 13 may be provided with a clampinghandle 17 if desired, for the purpose ofsecuring the same to the rod 14in order to support the crucible in any desired position.

The front wall of the furnace or heating chamber 1 is provided withopenings 18 through which the crucibles are moved in and out of thefurnace when it is desired to do so. Normally these openings arepartially closed by blocks 19 as illustrated in Fig. 1, leaving a lonitudinal opening 20 through which the neeif; of the crucible projects.In the operation of drawing oil the molten glass from the crucible, itis necessary that the heating chamber should be kept closed so as toconfine the heat within the same and prevent the flames from issuingthrough any opening, as they would prevent or render difficult themanipulation of the crucible by the operator on the outside. For thepurpose of keeping the longitudinal opening 20 closed I provide blocks21 and 22, the block 21 being a gravity piece sliding in a way 23 andbearing u on the neck of the crucible. The block 22 s ides in the way 24and is secured by any desired means, as a chain 25, to the neck of thecrucible. It will be seen that by these means the heating chamber iskept closed throughout the oscillation of the crucible to discharge themolten glass.

In crucibles heretofore constructed for the purpose of melting glass, ithas been customary to construct the same with an open- .ingthrough'which the batch to be melted is by pouring the whole contents.In my'im I and discharging of the glass.

I vention, I construct the crucible with a single epeni'ng through theneck 10 which opening is rovided with a large portion 26. The n'ec ofthe crucible is also provided with a dischar e conduit or groove 27through which the mo ten glass is drawn ofi. While the batch is beingmelted the entire opening in the neck of the crucible is closed, by thestopper 28, but during the operation of drawing ofi the contents thestopperZS is removed and the stopper 29 placed in position. This stopper29 only closes the large portion 26 of the opening, leaving thedischarge conduit 27 unobstructed so as to permit of the flow of moltenglass through the same. By these means it will be seen that the heat isconfined within the crucible during both the melting Located in theinterior of the crucible is a skimmer or floating dam 30, consisting ofa bridge or cross-piece of firebrick or other suitable material. Thisskimmer extends across the interior of the crucible floating upon themolten glass, being kept in position by the lugs 31'which constituteguides. In the o eration of the device, the surface of tli e moltenglass next to the neck of the vessel dammed oil by the skimmer isskimmed of the surface impurities, bubbles and the like, and when theglass is drawn off the skimmer dams back the surface glass and permitsthe flow to come from the middle portion of the molten-mass where theglass is clear and free from impurities, the skimmer graduallydescending as the surface of the molten glass is lowered. V

While I have described the crucible as oscillating upon lugs onapproximately the center of its s1de walls I do not wish to limit myselfthereto, as it will be obvious that other .means of tilting or rockingthe crucible might be availed of and such means I deem the equivalent ofthe device shown. And an advantage of pivoting. the crucible so as tooscillate on its central point is that the range of movementof the neckof the crucible to and from the center of the heating chamber isminimized so that there is no undesirable projection of the neck of thecrucible from the heating chamber.

The operation of the device will be ob- "viousf Assuming the cruciblesto be filled ceases pieces hav ng oppositely inclined supportingsurfaces, substantiallyas specified.

2. A device for containing molten glass,

consisting of a heating chamber closed on all sides, a cruciblecontained by and supported therein, said crucible being provided withgournal pieces on opposite sides, blocks upon wh ch said ournal piecesrest, means for rocking said journal pieces on said blocks and 'meansfor securing the crucible in desired tilted position; substantially asdescribed.

.3. A glass furnace comprising a heating. chamber, one or more.crucibles provided with vjournal pieces having two straight oppositelyinclined supporting surfaces, blocks upon which said crucibles aresupported, means for oscillating or tilting said crucibles,

and means for securing said crucibles'in the desired tilted position,substantially as speci- 4. A crucible for containing molten glass,

having an opening therein divided into an.

upper filling portion and a lower discharge portion in combination witha stopper adapted in one position to entirely close said opening and inanother position to close only the filling portion of said opening.

5. A crucible Ior contaimng molten glass,

.having an .opening therein divided into an upper filling portion and alower discharge portion a stopper adapted in one position to entirelyclose said opening and in another po sition to close only the fillingportion of said opening, means for oscillating the crucible to dischargeits contents, and means for securing thecrucible in desired tiltedposition, substantially as described.

. 6. A device for cont ining molten glass, the same consisting of acrucible provided with an opening divided into an upper. filling portionand a lower disch arge portion, a stop per adapted to entirely closesaid opening, and a stopper adapted to close only the upper fillingportion and leave the discharge portion unobstructed, substantially asdescribed.

7. A glass .furnace comprising a heating chamber provided with anextended opening,

a crucible'loc-ated in said heating chamber, a

neck to said crucible projecting through the opening in the heatingchamber, means foroscillatmg said crucible independently of the heatingchamber, means for closing said eX- tended opening above and below themouth of the crucible throughout the oscillation of the same, and means'forsecuring the crucible in desired tilted posit-ion, substantially asspecified.

in witness whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER Witnesses: Seton J. Lr'ennsrrnin, Snanusr C. h'lASTIGE.

